This week, I wanted the focus of my blog to reflect on The Profile of a Modern Teacher (created by Reid Wilson @wayfaringpath) that look on the habits of mind. This is an image I have had saved on my phone for quite some time. On Monday of this week, I looked at this graphic of a modern educator and throughout the week I tried to work on 1-2 of these aspects. It was kind of fun!

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​For example, on Tuesday I focused on “Allowing students to teach each other” and “Step outside of their comfort zone”. I did this by creating Literary Device experts, where students represented their literary device and had to lead a discussion on an element of their device in the novel. This was empowering not only for them, but for myself, to see them take the lead and explain the device in their own words showed me mastery.

I would love to take a deeper dive into each of these different habits and aspects of a modern teachers (Wilson), but due to a time crunch and a Hamlet Unit waiting to be constructed, I will simply showcase two aspects of that I believe to handle well and 1 that I need to improve on. A fun name for this is: 2 GLOWs and 1 GROW. I want to start doing this with my students… Having them reflect more. I do it, but I realize that I do not have them do it enough.  

This one was a no brainer. I have been reflecting / questioning / thinking about my practice, my lessons, my conversations, my interactions, my time management, my enthusiasm for my lessons, the way my body is feeling, etc. My brain has been working overtime! But questioning everything, not only fits in with reflection. But just asking more questions about everything. Whether it be in the content your teaching or the way you’re delivering it. Literally asking yourself, why am I doing this this way? How can I improve on this matter? What could I have done differently? What should I have asked that student instead of…. Questioning things is a skills I have improved on!
 

​This habit of the mind is something that I have essentially embodied. I have come to terms with just not knowing everything, not knowing what is going to necessarily happen during a lesson, while students are working on a project, etc. I’ve embraced the fact that you can’t prepare for every question the students may ask. For example, while giving a lesson on capitalization this week, I was asked “Why season were not capitalized, while days of the week and months were?”. What a great question! And I wasn’t prepared for that question and I didn’t know the answer. I believe that being comfortable not knowing what’s going to happen also goes hand in hand with the other aspects like: being vulnerable when something does happen and you don’t know what to say or have the answer.
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​Here is the thing… It’s not that I don’t believe I can learn anything with the right attitude and effort. Don’t get me wrong, I have a very open and growth mindset. However, I believe I need to improve on this habit because I often feel very overwhelmed with the AMOUNT of things I need to learn (for a certain lesson for example). I know this is just the reality of starting out as a teacher, but it can definitely feel as though you’re trying to overcome a very large mountain in a very short period of time. So, continuing with the right attitude and effort will allow me to overcome these feelings!

I want to know, what your your 'GLOW' and 'GROW' when considering this profile?
 

​This week was short and so is this reflection. I have to give an IGNITE Sunday and that is where my energy and brain power is currently going to. 

​This week, I learnt that walking into your classroom every day and treating it like a blank canvas is so important. That means, not bringing in the feelings from the day before, not bringing in the conversations you may have had a lunch, not bringing in the emotions from your personal life… You have 75 minutes per day with these students. You have to make them count; giving them 100% of yourself: your energy, time and love. Not starting with a blank canvas does not give the opportunity to surprise you and inspire you. All I can say is, let things goes…

​Spring has sprung, well.. kinda… which means I have started to re-appreciate all of the little things I took for granted before winter, like the grass and the warmer weather. That being said, I also realized that appreciating these little things the earth gives you, as an educator can be a great strategy for combatting stress!  
  
It is so easy to be overwhelmed by all the things that we have to do as teachers - dare I name them all? No. Because of all of this worry to accomplish everything looming over your shoulders and checking off our To Do List, we often forget to appreciate the little things in life. I live this constantly. I often become stressed, but when I overthink all of these things and feel my anxiety building up, I simply take a big deep breath and be grateful. I think about all of the things I can be thankful for and appreciate. 

​Here is a list of some of the things I have been appreciating recently:

• Hearing birds singing outside my classroom window
• Holding a warm coffee cup in my hands
• Smelling the warm FRESH spring air
• Standing sunshine, rays of light, getting
• Taking the first sip of coffee in the morning
• Being able to listen to the radio when I get into my car and drive home
• Coming home to a hot cooked meal  

 
Actively feeling grateful for these things make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside; they seem to give me the energy to be perseverant and carry on. I want to know, what are some things that you can reflect on and be thankful for?  Inspire others and let me know in a quick list below :)

Cheers to the 4 day weekend! And, Happy Easter everyone ! ​🐰🐰​
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Quelle belle semaine! Wow.. Je dois avouer que c’est la première fois depuis semaine 1 que je me suis sentie confiante, authentique et dynamique devant mes classes. J’ai trouvé un rythme de travail qui me convient, j’étais plus préparé et j’étais aussi plus proactif pour des imprévus. ​

After taking a week off from reflecting publicly during March Break, I had time to look back on the 4 blogs I published prior to this one and how I envision the 5 upcoming weeks. Oh, and if anyone was wondering where I went on vacation or what I did during my week off, let me tell you: unit planning, lesson planning, grading, eat, sleep, repeat. I am so proud of the work I did. It allowed me to set myself up for success for the last half of my practicum. Keep calm and carry on was my motto. 
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During the March Break, I caught wind of a podcast called: Truth for Teachers, hosted by Angela Watson. It just so happened that one of her recent episodes caught my eye. It was called: 7 ways teachers can push past imposter syndrome.  Take a listen to it by clicking on the title. 
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Believe it or not, Angela describes what I have felt throughout my practicum title the Imposter Syndrome: “It’s that feeling of being a fraud, an almost panic-inducing sense that at any moment, other people are going to figure out you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing and have no business being given the level of responsibility you have.”
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At the beginning of her podcast, she reads some quotes that pertain to self-doubt and shortcomings. This one by Dr. Margaret Chan, former Chief of the World Health Organization really stuck with me: “There are an awful lot of people out there who think I’m an expert. How do these people believe all this about me? I’m so much aware of all the things I don’t know.” That last part – I’m so much aware of all the things I don’t know. Wow. Isn’t that the truth? Why have I been focusing so much on the things I DON’T know during my practicum instead of congratulating myself for all of the things that I DO know and that I do WELL? However, Angela also gives me an answer to this… In her podcast, she says: "Anyone who is analyzing their work and striving to be better is going to feel like an imposter at times. Reflecting on your shortcomings is an important part of growth and improvement, so don’t shy away from it because you’re worried that you’re not going to measure up.” 
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​This made me think even more… Are my reflections creating this feeling within myself and diminishing my confidence? I am evidently striving to be the best that I can be, I am very self-aware and I am always looking to grow and better myself. As much as I need to be aware of these shortcomings, I also need to continue to have good self-talk and inner dialogue

Help me out? Have you ever felt the IMPOSTER SYDROME? Is this a real thing? What did YOU do about it… 
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​An EDU-Hero, warrior and inspiration to me also posted a tweet that highlighted how self-doubt can impact you towards reaching your goals. Mentally we have to make sure we aren't getting in our way of reaching our goals. 
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Now, looking back on this past week. Well, this week was special, I taught some tougher lessons and some really engaging lessons; I received my first evaluation and finished the week at a conference in Montreal.
 
Comme je l’ai mentionné ci-haut, je La dernière partie de ma semaine (jeudi et vendredi) j’étais au REFER à Montréal.
 
Premièrement, un gros merci à Nathalie Couzon pour l’invitation de collaborer avec elle et les élèves du Collège Durocher Saint-Lambert de la ville afin de promouvoir la #voixdesélèves. Pendant les 2 jours de la conférence, j’étais choyer de travailler alongside une collègue dont j’adore : Joannie Girard. Notre équipe dynamique a travaillé fort pendant le congrès afin d’animer une activité de clôture vendredi. Je suis tellement fière des élèves qui ont pensée, réfléchit, coopérer et discuter de sujets qui leur tiennent à cœur. Le tout a été très bien réussi. Bravo les filles! Voici quelques idées de ce qui a été dit :
 
Deuxièmement, j’adore réseauter pendant ces congrès. Plusieurs gens m'ont donné une nouvelle énergie! En interagissant avec des leaders pédagogiques comme Maude Lamoureux, Marius Bourgeois, Jean-Pierre Dufresne, Marie-Andrée Ouimet, Stephane Hunter, etc. Ils continuent de m’inspirer à travers les beaux projets qu’ils animent et leur ouverture à discuter avec moi. 

A couple weeks ago, I was approached by Emily Fitzpatrick, the Director of Professional Development for EdTech Team Canada asking if I would be interested in giving an Ignite presentation at the upcoming Ontario EdTech Team Ontario Summit in Cambridge, Ontario, April 7th and 8th. For those who are unaware of what an Ignite speech is, don't worry I didn't know about them until that email!! Ignite Presentations describe themselves to be the following:
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​IGNITE IS A SERIES OF SPEEDY PRESENTATIONS
Presenters get 20 slides, which automatically advance every 15 seconds.
​The result is a fast and fun presentation which lasts just 5 minutes.
Ignite events are held in cities around the world.

Considering the featured image of this blog post, you can assume that I didn't refuse this once in a lifetime opportunity! I quickly agreed to take the jump and present at the summit in front of +450 educators! 

Don't get me wrong; I have asked myself quite a few times... "What have I gotten myself into?" I am knee deep in practicum readings, plannings and marking...  But, so far, the experience has been so exciting. I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to have been asked to present this year along with so many inspiring educators (A big shoutout to Jen Giffen!).         ​In my tweet below, I mention how it has been on my Bucket List to present at a conference: ​

​This morning, I was lucky enough to score an interview with Stephen Hurley and Kim Pollishuke on VoicEd Radio! We spoke about our perspectives on education and how we are preparing for the Summit Ignite event! ​Check it out bellow ⬇️⬇️ 
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For more information, (speakers, location, and ticket info) be sure to visit:  events.edtechteam.com/Ontario2018 

Woohoo! Happy National skip day everyone… For us Ontario educators, it is the Friday before March Break which means a lot of us are headed on vacation. But not me. I, student teacher of 3 English classes will be spending my March Break at coffee shops, at my desk and at the library; essentially unit planning, lesson planning, reading and marking. I can’t even explain the length and degree of my to do list… But all that aside, let’s talk about my week!
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Lately, I have been reflecting on how my podcasting life has benefited me as a teacher. Here are a few ideas I have come up with:
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1. Firstly, podcasting has allowed me to develop my listening ear. This means that when students provide answers, ask questions or simply during conversations and discussions, I feel more prepared because of my abilities to listen to the information their giving me or asking me and gearing my answer to it. In podcasting, as the host you have to be a listener. That means, taking what your Guest is talking about and building on it, taking it one step further, etc.
2. Secondly, podcasting has got me ready for unplanned questions that I may not have prepared for. Being a guest on a podcast, whether it has been OnEdMentors or being on certain shows like The EdPodcast, The Planning Period Podcast, Beyond the Staffroom, Personal Playlist Podcast, you are often put on the spot and have to think quick on your feet. Luckily, thanks to podcasting I have been able to bring that skill into my classroom.
3. Lastly, I believe that my overall speaking abilities have largely improved since I have started being involved in podcasting!

Also, I am excited to say that the final unit evaluation I will be giving for my EAE2P English class will be a podcast episode reviewing and critiquing certain elements of the novel. This assignment is inspired by Alexandre Audet’s project he did in his English class with his grade 8 class!

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Developing rubric may be my arch nemesis. I know where I need to grow and learn the most and it is understanding and mastering rubrics. This is something I believe lacked extremely in my degree because in two years I have only ever created 1 rubric. This is very difficult for me as a new teacher and I thank my AT for having taken soooo  much time with me this week to help me wrap my head around it.
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Even three days into my placement I know that one of my biggest challenges and goals is going to be to creating relationships with my students. Before I even started, I knew that these interpersonal relationships were going to be key to my success as a student teacher. I wanted to reach out to my students, as of my first day, in order to let them into my life. That being said, I created a fun Kahoot that allowed students to interact with me, figure out who I am, not only as a teacher but as a human being as well. I also gave them a Google Forms (Learner Profile) where I invited them to answer some questions about themselves. I am teaching a Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 English class. I have a wide range of students sitting in front of me, going through different things, with different goals and different interests. This Google Forms was such a good idea. I got some really great feedback and responses from them. I believe it was a great ice breaker…
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Précédemment, j’ai mentionné l’écart entre l’école élémentaire et l’école secondaire. L’idée de créer des relations, d’après moi, est beaucoup plus facile à l’élémentaire. À mon avis, tu peux plus facilement être leur modèle et idole. Au secondaire, cette relation doit se construire plus lentement et tu dois gagner leur respect à travers de tes paroles et tes actions. ​

Recently, as I have been going through the process of attending recruitment presentations from school boards, revamping my CV, writing cover letters, filling in applications, going through interviews, I have been reflecting on this really crucial and transformative period. The transition from Student (teacher) to Teacher approaches day by day and I’ve come to realize that I am growing up. I can feel it.

Growing up is a strange concept to me. Oddly enough, it has always been something I looked forward to. I have always looked up to people older than me and I continue to do so, whether it be my mentors, my university professors, my family members, experienced educators, etc. But as I continue to look up to those people, I also notice that I am becoming more wise and have more to offer back.

Lately, as I approach the end of my B.Ed, I can’t seem to grasp the fact that I will FINALLY be a certified teacher. I, Sarah Anne Lalonde, will be the teacher I have always dreamt of being. The responsibilities I will be undertaking and lives I will be changing is something that I think about often. It has become pretty overwhelming actually… and a little surreal.

Following your dreams is something I’ve always promoted. Dreaming big is something I believe everyone should do. Behind every dreamer there’s a doer. I’ve reached some of my goals and dreams, but becoming a teacher has always been right up there at the top. Being only a few months away from accomplishing that dream gives me butterflies because it feels like yesterday that I was only a little girl with a dream. Now, with lots of hard work, dedication, patience, grit and perseverance I have almost attained it.

When you think about it, growing up means so much.

• It means a major role change in my life... I will have spent 20 years as a student. I’ve watched teachers all of my student life. Some I liked more than others, but they’ve all taught me something along the way. I look forward to transitioning from student to teacher. But, as much as I will be transitioning from the learner to the teacher, I will still be constantly learning with me students.
• ​Growing up as a woman, I want to continue to be a leader and role model for girls. I crave to show them that good things come when you believe in yourself, your dreams and a little hard work. My role as an educator will allow me to have an impact on their confidence, their passions, their intelligence, their future, their self-worth, and of course, their learning. I will show them that they are beautiful, powerful and capable
• Finally, growing up means I need to continue pursuing more goals and dreams. I’ve spent lots of time searching for what my realistic long term goal are and I have finally figured them out. (I am aware and open to all of the changes, obstacles and growth that awaits me and knowing that these goals may transform is exciting!) But for now, at the age of 23, here they are:

o   Becoming a member of the OCT 
o   Masters in Education
o  Getting my ABQ’s
o   Teaching for (??) # of years
o   Google Certified Trainer
o   Principal’s Course
o   Administrator 

All in all, with time, I get to continue to learn new things, meet new people, explore different places, get inspired and inspire others, follow my passion and find new ones. I cannot wait to share my gained expertise and experience with those around me as other have shared with me along the way. As I mentioned, my plans may change, obstacles may arise, but my passion for education will last forever. I can’t predict where I will be in 5, 10, 20 years, but I will continue to aim high and reach for the stars with my goals. I look forward to looking back on this blog post in a few years from now.

I’ve realized that, as much as you may want and try, you can’t stop time and you can't stop from growing up. This is inevitable therefor, you have to make the absolute best of the time you’re given on earth.

I encourage you to think about where you wanted to be while finishing Teacher’s College and where you are now. Have plans changed? What do your future goals look like? How do you plan on reaching them? I'd love to know! Comment below ⬇️⬇️


Cheers,
Sarah